There were some latecomers for Valentine's Day dinners, although through no causing of their own, on Wednesday night as fire crews responded to a blaze in the south part of town.

Around 5:00 PM, they were called to the report of a commercial fire alarm, but when they got there, no evidence of smoke or fire was present. They determined that it was a faulty detection device. However, they never really made it back to the fire hall.

"While were were currently on that call and wrapping up, we were alerted to a structure fire in an apartment complex on the south side of the city, 4th Avenue south. Upon arrival at the scene, the first floor was filled with smoke, emenating from a suite on the southeast corner of the building. The complex was safely evacuated and everybody was accounted for. Fire crews put suppression lines into service and made entry into the suite, where there was heavy smoke encountered and still an active fire. It was successfully extinguished without any injury or incidents," shared Fire Chief Dale Feser.

"The fire was deemed to be accidental in nature and cooking related, so we just ask that citizens to make sure that, when they are cooking, make sure that you are tending the stove at all times while the process is going on."

He added that you should make sure that you always immediately evacuate the building in such situations, as well as calling 911.

"There were lot of people that were very quick thinking, and called 911 to alert the fire department, even if there was an alarm in the building."

Several other calls in the day for EFRS included an accident on Highway 18, and a faulty carbon monoxide alarm.

"In the end, it was a great day as there was no injuries that occurred as a result of any of the incidents that we attended," said Feser.

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